My wife is going to make our long arms, but asked if it would be better to make them out of solid bar steel (8320) vice outta DOM? Through her shop, she can get solids a hell of lot cheaper than DOM.
She'll drill and tap the threads at each end. She wants to expand her old man's business into her 4x4 habit.
What's the census here?

pics added to page 4

Last edited by rockrat; August 15th, 2007 at 08:39 AM.
Reason: pics in place

My wife is going to make our long arms, but asked if it would be better to make them out of solid bar steel (8320) vice outta DOM? Through her shop, she can get solids a hell of lot cheaper than DOM.
She'll drill and tap the threads at each end. She wants to expand her old man's business into her 4x4 habit.
What's the census here?

It can be done and would be around the same stregth with DOM being a little stronger (1.5"x.25" wall) from what I gathered. I know DOM is about 11 a foot where solid i want to say is 4 from when I was researching this.

Could consider 2x2x1/4" as an option. With the solid you are going to have to run a threaded joint on both ends. and If you use a threaded poly joint at one end and a johnny joint at the other you are looking at about 80+ bucks for joints for a lower control arm.

Control arms a very important structural member to the suspention. All after market lift kits come with a huge disclaimer because of the potential carnage and abuse. We build ours from .120 wall DOM and tig all connections. I have never seen anyone including Aaron Brown use solid steel for suspension.

If the steel material is the same, solid stock will be stronger. But heavier, too.

For example, for a 3 foot link with 2" diameter (typical lower link)..

2.0" x 0.25" wall x 36" = 14 lbs

2.0" solid x 36" = 32 lbs

Solid bar is about 40% higher bending moment, per given size.

For equal strength, 2.00" x 0.25" wall = 1.75" solid bar.

1.75" solid x 36" bar = 25 lbs.

So, there's what you get.

However, as noted, thats same materials. Since DOM generally work hardens the piece, its stronger, so there's even a bigger weight discrepancy.

Aluminum is done with solid links because of two reasons: One, you need every bit of strength you can get with aluminum, and two, the type of alloy used fo rlinks is more or less unweldable, so its much easier to drill and tap.

Control arms a very important structural member to the suspention. All after market lift kits come with a huge disclaimer because of the potential carnage and abuse. We build ours from .120 wall DOM and tig all connections. I have never seen anyone including Aaron Brown use solid steel for suspension.

used 2" x 32" soild for both lower ends as well as the rear uppers. Heavy yes, but at 120.00 for the steel, 250.00 for (4) 8" coils, 125.00 (4) 14.5" travel shocks=$425.00 for a 11" Long Arm Lift==priceless.

used 2" x 32" soild for both lower ends as well as the rear uppers. Heavy yes, but at 120.00 for the steel, 250.00 for (4) 8" coils, 125.00 (4) 14.5" travel shocks=$425.00 for a 11" Long Arm Lift==priceless.

used 2" x 32" soild for both lower ends as well as the rear uppers. Heavy yes, but at 120.00 for the steel, 250.00 for (4) 8" coils, 125.00 (4) 14.5" travel shocks=$425.00 for a 11" Long Arm Lift==priceless.

great! you spent more than what a dom would have cost! how strong are your link MOUNTS?

thats fantastic that you overbuilt the shit out of your lower control arms, now how about the rest of the truck?